Method and device for distributing tobacco mass



Feb. 15, 1938. E. R. DAHLSTRGM ET AL 2 3 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING TOBACCO MASS X Fified April 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 15, 1938. E. R. DAHLSTRCM ET AL 7 2,108,369

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING TOBACCO MASS Filed April 2, 1956 2 Sheets-sheaf; 2

Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES TOBACCO MASS METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING Ernst Ruben Dahlstriim, Alsten, and Karl Erik Granstedt, Stockholm,

Sweden, assignors to Aktiebolaget Formator, Stockholm, Sweden, a Swedish joint-stock company Application April 2, 1936, Serial No. 72,430

In Sweden April 5, 1935 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and device for distributing tobacco, particularly for portioning of tobacco mass in the manufacture of cigar bunches or other tobacco products.

It is an object of the invention to make improved provisions for removal of tobacco mass of a uniform and separable condition from a storage reservoir to be further handled, for instance in the manufacture of cigar fillers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and means for continuously presenting the tobacco mass in a storage reservoir in a loose,

uniform and readily separable condition to a Still another object of the invention is toprovide simple, gently but nevertheless efiiciently operating means for keeping the tobacco in a loose and uniform'condition' and ensuring that the tobacco mass will, without any pressing action, be presented to the mechanism for removing it from the container. i

With these and other'objects in view, the invention comprises the combination and arrangement of elements hereinafter fully described and set forth in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, in which likecharacters of reference designate the same or like parts:--

Fig. 1 is a side elevational viewof a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in'section, on the line II-II of Fig. 1; 1 g

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a partial front elevation partly in Section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is an elevation partly'in section on the line VI-V'I of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of the invention;- and Fig. 8 is an elevation partly in section on the line VIII--VIII of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a container is arranged for storing tobacco mass. The container has two oppositely disposed side walls 2 which have inwardly projecting flanges [6, whereby the sidewalls are inwardly dished. The walls 2 are each keyed to a horizontal shaft l which is rotatably journalled in standards 25'on the frameZI An endless belt 4 is provided with cross bars 22 and engages the flanges it over a considerable part of their periphery and runs over rollers 5 which are rotatably journalled in the frame 2!. A spring actuated tension roller 6 imparts to the belt 4 suflicient tension to be driven by frictional action by the walls when the latter revolve. The walls are each connected to a driving mechanism which imparts to them stepwise rotary movements in the direction of the arrow as shown in Fig. 1. Both the driving mechanisms are operatively connected to a driving shaft 1 which is journalled in the frame 21 and driven by a gear wheel 26 from any suitable gear. Two cam discsS are each attached to one end of the'shaft I and each actuates a bellcrank lever 9. Each bell crank lever is pivotally mounted on a pin 21 and pivotally connected to a link Ill. The rollers 28 of the bell crank levers 9 are pressed against the cam discs 8 by tension springs 29, one end of which is attached to the frame 2|. Each link It is pivoted to an arm I l. The arms I l are each pivotally journalled on one of the shafts l and carry a spring actuated pawl I2, which coacts with a ratchet wheel I3. Both the ratchet wheels [3 are each keyed to one of the shafts I.

The continuously rotating shaft 1 imparts to the arms II rocking movements and at each upward movement of the arms the pawls l2 will rotate the shafts I and thereby the walls 2 a short movement in the direction of the arrow as indicated. Thereby the upper part of the belt i, forming a bottom of the container, ismoved by' friction in the same direction. By thus rotating the side walls 2 and driving the belt 4 part of the tobacco mass stored in the container will be moved from the bottom of the container upwards towards the top of the latter and loosely fall down onto the mass so as to be presented to a gripper l5 which is movable up and down in the space 3 between the walls 2.

The gripper I5 is mounted on an arm I14 fastened to a rock shaft 30 which is rotatably iournalled in standards 3| on the frame 2 l. Another arm 32 is fastened to the shaft 39 and pivotally connected to one end of a link 33. The other end of the link 33 is pivotally connected to an arm as which is pivoted to one of the shafts 2'! and carries a. roller 35. The roller 35 rides on a cam disc 36 secured to the driving shaft 3. The right hand leg of the gripper I5 is secured to an arm 40 and to a pin 39 which is rotatably journalled in the arm M. An arm-4i is pivoted to the arm All and to a bracket 42 projecting from the frame 2 i. .A short arm 43 is secured to the arm 40 and carries a rotatable toothed segment M to which is secured the left hand leg of the gripper E5. The toothed segment 46 meshes with another toothed segment 45 which is rotatably mounted on the pin 39 and secured to an arm 46 which is pivoted to another arm 31. The arm 3'! is also pivoted to one arm 4? of a double lever which is pivoted on the shaft and the other arm 48 of which is pivoted to a link rod 39. The rod 49 is also pivoted to a lever 56 which carries a roller 5| which under the influence of a spring 52 rides on a cam 53 secured to the shaft 7.

It will be obvious from the drawings that the cam disc 36 by means of the arm and link system now described holds the arm- Id and thereby the gripper in a raised position when the walls 2 rotate one step. Thereafter the gripper is swung downwards into the space 3 between the side walls 2. Thereby the vertical position of the gripper is maintained bythe pivotally arranged arm 4|. The cam 53 actuates the arm 5!], link rod 49 and thereby the arm 3! to swing the arm 46 to the right when the gripper is moved down into the tobacco mass. Thereby the gripper is closed by the intermeshing toothed segments 44 and 45. The gripper will easily penetrate the loose upper layer of the tobacco mass and fetch a full portion of tobacco mass when the arm I4 is swung upwards, whereby the cam 53 allows the spring 52 to hold the gripper closed.

Possibly, the belt 4 may be driven by a separate mechanism and impart to the side walls 2 their rotary movements. In such case the sidewalls are loosely mounted on their shafts i and the belt t may be driven by any one of the rollers 5. It might also be possible to use stationary side walls 2 and move only the belt 4 which will then alone tumble the tobacco mass. 7

The device shown in Figs, 3 and 4 gives mainly the same efiect as the device heretofore described. A single cam disc 3 is used which actuates a bell crank lever 9 and a link I0. The link II] is pivotally connected to a sector shaped bowl I! which is rotatably journalled on the shafts I and forms an oscillatory bottom of the container. When the link I!) is swung upwards the pawls l2, which are pivoted to the sides of the bowl, drive the ratchet wheels IS. The ratchet wheels I 3 are keyed to the shafts I so that they will drive the side walls 2 and impart to them stepwise movements in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3. On the downward movements of the link H] the bowl is rapidly swung back while the walls are latched by the pawl l8. The cam disc 8 has such shape that the side walls 2 are swung comparatively slowly in the direction of the arrow, so that tobacco particles will be moved upwards. The retractive movement of the bowl I? will, however, be effected so rapidly that the tobacco particles will not be moved downwards again.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a fixed bottom I9 is used. Nevertheless the tobacco mass will be eifectively moved upwards as the side walls 2 have interior drivers 20. The side walls 2 are driven in the same manner as in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the apparatus shown in Figs. '7 and 8 the side walls now described are replaced by a bowl 23 which is closed at its bottom and open at its top. Within the bowl 23 there are keyed on the shafts l impellers 24 which tumble the tobacco mass. The shafts I are rotatably journalled in the bowl 23 and rotated in the same manner as in the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Possibly, the rotary movements of the walls 2, the belt 4 and the impellers 24 may be continuous instead of intermittent.

We claim:-

1. A method of distributing a tobacco mass,

comprising rotating a mass of loose tobacco over and over to move leaf parts upwardly until they fall down onto the tobacco mass and lifting leaf parts from the upper surfaces of the rotating mass before they are covered by the mass for re moval from said mass.

2. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container adapted for a tobacco mass and comprising two upright, oppositely disposed and spaced apart rotary side walls, and a distributor operative between the upper parts of said walls to deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container.

3. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container adapted for a tobacco mass and comprising two upright, oppositely disposed and spaced apart rotary side walls, and a distributor operative between the upper parts of said walls to deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container, said walls having drivers for the to bacco mass.

4. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container adapted for a tobacco mass and comprising two upright, oppositely disposed and spaced apart side walls, a conveyor belt forming a bottom of the container between said walls, and a distributor operative between the upper parts of said walls to deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container.

5. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container adapted for a tobacco mass and comprising two up-right, oppositely disposed and spaced apart side walls, lateral agitators arranged between said walls to move tobacco mass upwards from the bottom of said container, and a distributor operative between the upper parts of said agitators to deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container.

6. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container for a tobacco mass and comprising two upright, oppositely disposed and spaced apart side walls, a curved plate forming a bottom of the container between said walls, means for reciprocating said bottom in a curved path, and a distributor operative between the upper parts of said side walls to deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container.

'7. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container adapted for a tobacco mass and comprising two upright, oppositely disposed and spaced apart rotary walls, a curved, fixed bottom for said container beneath said walls, and a distributor operative between the top parts of said walls to deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container.

8. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container adapted for a tobacco mass and comprising two upright, oppositely disposed and spaced apart side walls, means for tumbling the tobacco mass over and over within said container, and a distributor operative between the upper parts of said walls to deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container.

9. In a device for distributing a tobacco mass, a container adapted for a tobacco mass and comprising two upright, oppositely disposed and spaced apart side walls, means for tumbling the tobacco mass over and over within said container, a pincher, and means for moving said pincher between the upper parts of said walls to fetch and deliver a part of the tobacco mass from said container.

ERNST RUBEN DAHLsTRoM.

KARL ERIK GRANSTEDT. 

